Grammar errors at the workplace, just for fun :)

Nurses General Nursing

Published

So, it's bad enough when people make obvious grammar/usage flaws in places like allnurses, blogs, etc. What I find both more entertaining and somewhat depressing is when I come across it at work. Our unit director is awful about homonyms, and it get embarrassing sometimes, when I wonder who else might notice her slip ups (i.e., someone who is not a lowly floor nurse).

My favorites that I've come across recently:

"Check at nurse's station before entering room"

"Unit Counsel"

And the one that I could barely restrain myself from asking her if it was a purposeful pun:

A binder with the label "Opportunity's for Learning"

So, anyone have any others that they have come across specifically in the workplace, for all the world to see?

When I hear a coworker giving instructions to a patient say: "it's all wrote down" it makes my skin crawl!!

Specializes in Rescue+Medic+ER ER ER ER.

We laugh about it all the time, but someone will invariably write "***** drainage" instead of "purulent drainage".

read a note the other day where the pt's step daughter-in-law was referred to as STD as in"pt's STD requests...",must be a pretty tough infection if it's making requests

oh that reminds me of people who spell daughter- "dauhter" - another one is "nasel" instead of nasal.....

NOT my shining moment, but I got the giggles at work the other day when a co-worker charted "Pt easily aroused. Husband at bedside."

Come on, people....it's "Pt easily roused." as in easily awakened from sleep.

from the dictionary: meaning of arouse:

v. a-roused, a-rous-ing, a-rous-es

v.tr.

1. To awaken from or as if from sleep.

2. To stir up; excite: The odd sight aroused our curiosity. See Synonyms at provoke.

3. To stimulate sexual desire in.

v.intr.

To be or become aroused.

ok, i give.

what's wrong with statement #1?

and should blurb #2 be "unit council"?

leslie

I admit it took me a minute to get the first one. I think it's supposed to be "nurses' station" since it's the station of more than one nurse.

And I had the same thought process on #2... council.

I have been on a rampage this semester to get my peers to stop saying nursing diagnosises. It drives me INSANE... it's diagnosES! It just sounds weird and honestly, somewhat uneducated, IMHO.

I stand by the fact that some medical words are hard to say. But simple words being misused (o2 stats) and mispronounced just make you wonder sometimes about one's education/experience. It's sad, but true...

Specializes in Geriatrics/Med-Surg/ED.

the words you're & your used in the wrong context is my major pet peeve..... (there are many.....)

Specializes in Telemetry & Obs.
from the dictionary: meaning of arouse:

v. a-roused, a-rous-ing, a-rous-es

v.tr.

1. To awaken from or as if from sleep.

2. To stir up; excite: The odd sight aroused our curiosity. See Synonyms at provoke.

3. To stimulate sexual desire in.

v.intr.

To be or become aroused.

rouse1   /raʊz/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [rouz] Show IPA ,verb, roused, rous⋅ing, noun

-verb (used with object) 1. to bring out of a state of sleep, unconsciousness, inactivity, fancied security, apathy, depression, etc.: He was roused to action by courageous words.

2. to stir or incite to strong indignation or anger.

3. to cause (game) to start from a covert or lair.

4. Nautical. to pull by main strength; haul.

-verb (used without object) 5. to come out of a state of sleep, unconsciousness, inactivity, apathy, depression, etc.

6. to start up from a covert or lair, as game.

-noun 7. a rousing.

8. a signal for rousing; reveille.

I have a dictionary, too ;)

I'm sorry, but "aroused" has a sexual connotation and it just makes me giggle to see it charted. Makes the day go by faster :D

Specializes in Emergency Dept. Trauma. Pediatrics.
NOT my shining moment, but I got the giggles at work the other day when a co-worker charted "Pt easily aroused. Husband at bedside."

Come on, people....it's "Pt easily roused." as in easily awakened from sleep.

Well the first one could also be correct. :chuckle:chuckle

I am sure I will be made fun of a lot, I make spelling and grammar errors, I do try, but I have always struggled in this department. Some things I just can't get to click in my head no matter how many times it's been explained or I try.

Sometimes on here it's a matter of not proofreading, like if I were to use the wrong word (peace, piece, one,won) I know the correct words on a lot of those and I am not sure why I mess them up sometimes, maybe I type faster than my brain can comprehend. I know I have re-read posts and wondered why I put something when I know it's incorrect. I struggle with Than/then I don't know why, someone suggested saying it out loud but they sound the same to me. I have tried really hard with their/there and I think I have got better with them but I still find myself struggling at times.

My husband is a pro at butchering common sayings, like he will say "that's just the pudding on the cake" or " you might find yourself stuck between a rock and a bigger rock" :rolleyes:

My son called his intestines his intesticles, that one still cracks me up.

Anyway, I know their?? is the other thread going on today about the your/you're and how annoying it is. I just want to say, I am guilty as charged and it's not done because I am stupid/lazy or don't care, it's just something I truly struggle with.

OK, Toradol is the correct spelling- yet I see certain docs ALWAYS order "toredol" it makes me crazy!! Just write 'ketorolac' LOL......

Anyway, I know their?? is the other thread going on today about the your/you're and how annoying it is. I just want to say, I am guilty as charged and it's not done because I am stupid/lazy or don't care, it's just something I truly struggle with.

your - a possessive pronoun.

your brains. your shirt. your idea.

you're - contraction for 'you are'.

you're so intelligent. you're pulling my leg. you're not understanding me.

their- another possessive pronoun of they.

i appreciate their input. i want to hear their ideas. their shoes are too small.

they're - contraction for 'they are'.

they're driving me nuts. they're going to be late. they're wrong and we're (we are) right.

there - adverb meaning at that place.

do you really want to go there? i will be right there. i will be there soon.

what other words are you confused by?

leslie

rouse1   /raʊz/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [rouz] Show IPA ,verb, roused, rous⋅ing, noun

-verb (used with object) 1. to bring out of a state of sleep, unconsciousness, inactivity, fancied security, apathy, depression, etc.: He was roused to action by courageous words.

2. to stir or incite to strong indignation or anger.

3. to cause (game) to start from a covert or lair.

4. Nautical. to pull by main strength; haul.

-verb (used without object) 5. to come out of a state of sleep, unconsciousness, inactivity, apathy, depression, etc.

6. to start up from a covert or lair, as game.

-noun 7. a rousing.

8. a signal for rousing; reveille.

I have a dictionary, too ;)

I'm sorry, but "aroused" has a sexual connotation and it just makes me giggle to see it charted. Makes the day go by faster :D

LOL, I guess a patient could be easily aroused- especially if they've received Propofol.......

Specializes in Telemetry & Obs.
My husband is a pro at butchering common sayings, like he will say "that's just the pudding on the cake" or " you might find yourself stuck between a rock and a bigger rock"

Our hubbies have GOT to be related!! :D-

+ Add a Comment